Clear sealant

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by Lenny6789, Aug 24, 2021.

  1. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member

    Hi,

    A basic question: am getting plumber to my flat to replace sealant along one wall where horizontal of worktop meets vertical. Rest looks ok but is many years old. Wondering what consensus is - should I get all of the worktops redone or just the one walls worth?

    plumber will be there to do washer replacement on tap - so as they have hourly rate figure I may as well if time is left ask them to look at sealant.

    Best regards and thanks in advance.
     
    woodbutcherbower likes this.
  2. jimbobby

    jimbobby Screwfix Select

    Look on you tube on washer replacement. You need to be pretty useless and have too much money to get a plumber in to change a washer!
    Look for local handyman to do the sealant and remember it will go yellow. CT1 seems quite good,
    j
     
  3. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member

    I don’t know it’s the washer but am guessing as there is a slow leak from it. I don’t have too much money but admittedly am pretty poor on diy. Just wondering whether most people would get the whole kitchen done or just the bit that obviously seems to have come away…I’ll try a handyman for the sealant.
     
  4. I-Man

    I-Man Screwfix Select

    Why not have a go yourself at doing the sealant? It's a very DIY type job, just look for youtube guides on how to do it and will not cost you nearly as much as getting a "plumber" in
     
    Lenny6789 likes this.
  5. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    Are you sure that the tap does indeed have a washer inside to control water flow ?

    Is it the type that takes several spins to get water fully off to on or just a quarter turn handle/lever for the same function ?

    And have you discussed this idea of getting your full 1 hour of money worth with the plumber prior to the job or you gonna spring it on him / her on the day :)

    Even a simple job of changing a washer (if indeed it is a washered tap) can take longer than expected if you can’t get tap head off due to corrosion
     
    Lenny6789 likes this.
  6. CT1 is great stuff but goes yellow quite quickly. Dow Corning clear sanitary sealant will be fine. Easy job if u know what u are doing but also very easy for it to go messy.
     
    jimbobby and Lenny6789 like this.
  7. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member

    I’m not at all - it’s actually just a single ‘tap’ hole so to speak with a single lever about it that you can turn left and right to control how hot or cold the water is. You turn that lever up to start the flow of water and down to close it. The drop of water is coming from the base of that lever.So the base of that lever has underneath it the spout from which the tap hole emanates. Maybe-this would be too tricky for handyman and needs a plumber may I ask?
     
  8. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    Your tap has a cartridge valve ,and most plumbers I know ,once told what your problem is ,would tell you to buy a new tap.
     
    Lenny6789 likes this.
  9. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member

    Thanks. Just thinking do you think then I can send a video of my tap to the plumber to see if he can bring the new tap with him - just trying to avoid paying him for two trips. Apologies I’m not very diy orientated.
     
  10. terrymac

    terrymac Screwfix Select

    My response to you would be buy whatever kitchen monobloc tap you like the look of ,and I will fit it.
     
    Lenny6789 likes this.
  11. jimbobby

    jimbobby Screwfix Select

    Fugi tools and watch this video.
    If you got no money you better start learning pretty quick...will save you thousands over the years and msot jobs can be looked up on you tube.

     
    Lenny6789 likes this.
  12. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    Polymer like CT1 can be painted over vs silicone that can't. Hard to paint against silicone so that's the difference between the two. If no paint near then silicone I guess
     
    Lenny6789 likes this.
  13. dinkydo

    dinkydo Screwfix Select

    Hi Terrymac, just wondering what is your reasoning in suggesting a new tap rather than replacing the cartridge, my monoblock kitchen mixer tap is about 6 years old and the cold side developed a drip about a year ago (so a 2 cartridge tap) it is a £200.00 Franke tap, I sourced the cartridge on Amazon for a pack of 2 hot & cold it cost less than £5.00 postage free on Amazon Prime and a 10 minute job to change and its been fine since, I'm not a plumber and noticed that the op's is a single cartridge would that be the difference in advising to change the tap ?

    Just re read the post and I see that the leak is from the base of the lever so guess that could be the difference
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2021
  14. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member

    Thats an interesting question from Dinky Do: my local plumber has the benefit of seeing a photo of my tap and has just advised me that a new tap is needed too. Would be interesting to understand the theory why.
     
  15. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    Here’s my take on the theory, and this exact topic comes up frequently

    The old saying ‘time is money’ is what it comes down to in essence

    Washered taps are a lot simpler to replace parts when they develop a fault, common part for drips would be the simple washer used to shut water off. Basically 1/2 or 3/4”, every plumber in the land would have a stock of these on his van so an easy job with a 5 pence washer that would fit the majority of taps

    Ok, same brands did try to reinvent the wheel so would come up with a funky type washer - that did the exact same job as a regular washer but they just felt the need to be different (and a pain in the arris re spares)

    Wind forward to ‘modern times’ and the majority of taps (not all) are now ceramic disc / cartridge type that replaces the humble washer

    Problem is, there’s no standardisation at all to these cartridges, with hundreds, possibly thousands of shapes / sizes / designs - all specific to your tap

    Physical shops can only stock a few types for obvious reasons, so there are some common, generic type cartridges for both single and twin cartridge taps and SF sell a selection

    You can’t tell what you need just by looking at the tap or knowing the brand and model - removing the existing cartridge is the best way forward then taking several measurements so a match can be sourced

    As ever, there’s hundreds/thousands of these available online, that’s the only saving grace - a replacement can usually/always be found but…… here’s the thing ….. ‘time is money’ remember

    You gonna pay the plumber to visit house, take tap apart, (not always easy), spend time measuring cartridge, then more time finding a supplier and physically buying or ordering online, then return to fit - that’s gonna add up to a hefty charge going on plumbers rates ;)

    It’s ok for me, I’m a keen diyer and have changed loads of such cartridges for myself, family, friends. So what if it takes an hour or so to find a supplier and order, another hour to initially remove and return to fit - my Labour is free and you do such things for family and friends

    As D.D above, I’ve got an expensive kitchen tap at home, by Blanco, changed both cartridges and these were bog standard ones from SF, perfect match, fiver a pair - not always as lucky

    Last set I changed for my sister, took ages to find online and we’re around £18 pair, but she wanted to keep her nice looking tap

    If this is a job you can do yourself, then makes perfect sense to try to source and replace - if indeed it’s the cartridge leaking, or whatever the problem is (can’t remember)

    For a plumber, ‘new tap required’ is the common reply and depending on cost of the tap (both old and new taps) may well work out cheaper in labour costs for the customer

    So, there you go, a full answer I’m sure you will agree :)
    Now back to work for me !
     
    dinkydo and Lenny6789 like this.
  16. Simple answer as long as u can source the replacement cartridges for your exact tap then yes you can just get them replaced.I change many cartridges and the taps go on to be usable for years
     
    dinkydo and Lenny6789 like this.
  17. dinkydo

    dinkydo Screwfix Select


    you have had good advice on this Lenny, and if you are unable to source the cartridge yourself then it may be cheaper to change the tap especially if your tap is a no name cheaper type tap, whether it be bathroom or kitchen fittings I think it is good advice to install good makes that haver been around a long time that can be easily identified for parts in the future,

    found out the hard way recently myself, we had a new bathroom about 4 years ago from better bathrooms who have now folded, no make modern square toilet with a soft closing toilet seat, I have the name of of the toilet & seat (but an obscure make) toilet seat now needs replacing, I have looked all over for one that near enough measures up but no luck, eventually found one online that is a replacement for my one (a different make though) from choicereplacementtoiletseatshop a soft closer was nearly £300.00, I sent for the cheaper non soft closing at £76.00, the other option was having one made, don't even ask the price, think I would have changed the toilet first.
     
    Lenny6789 likes this.
  18. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
     
  19. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member


    Hi, great info. A challenge for you if interested/available as your comments do seem to be helping people.1). Some people say that with a drip leak like mine at the bottom of the mixer tap lever so in between the lever and the spout - it could be the O ring (whatever that is) and I may be better trying to find a plumber that can quote me for taking apart my tap and finding the type of o ring then getting it from merchant and then fitting. Is this an idea or perhaps it’s the same concept as two sets of labour and not worth it and better to get plumber to come in with new tap amd definitely sort during one trip.Is o ring possibility and could this approach work?

    2) A cartridge was replaced for bath tap (not mixer tap) a little while ago and I have a spare one. Is there a decent chance that spare one could either work on the sink mixer tap where I have the current drip or identify what the mixer tap cartridge replacement should be (if indeed the cartridge is the culprit), I wonder? The bath taps and sink taps look the same design but have no markings to identify their brand in them.
     
  20. Lenny6789

    Lenny6789 Member

    I’ve had a theory it could be the ‘o ring’ whatever that is rather than the cartridge - does that i wonder seem plausible to you bearing in mind the leak on the mixer tap is from the bit between the lever and the top of the spout. So, not dripping from the spout itself…
     

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